bookrandom Chapter 811 8 Great Protectorate
Chapter 811 8 Great Protectorate
On Zhuque Street in Chang'an City, the morning mist had not yet dissipated, but there was already a lot of traffic.
The cries of street vendors and the crisp sound of horses' hooves stepping on the cobblestone road intertwine together, outlining the prosperous picture of the heyday of the Tang Dynasty.
Li Zhi was reviewing memorials at his desk, which was piled with documents from all over the country, each of which concerned the rise and fall, honor and disgrace of the Tang Empire.
Suddenly, a burst of hurried footsteps came from afar, breaking the silence in the hall.
Wang Can, with a solemn expression, walked in quickly with a memorial in hand, holding it high above his head: "Your Majesty, urgent news from the Middle East!"
Li Zhi frowned slightly, reached out to take the memorial, and slowly unfolded it. As his eyes moved over the memorial, his expression instantly became solemn, and a layer of frost covered his originally calm face.
The memorial stated that a small-scale rebellion had occurred somewhere in the Middle East.
The local tribal indigenous people have been living a nomadic life for generations and are used to a free and relaxed lifestyle.
After the Tang Dynasty extended its rule to this area, it implemented a unified taxation policy.
For these indigenous people who are accustomed to a free and unrestrained life, taxes are like a heavy shackle that makes them breathless.
In addition, some local officials use tough measures in implementing policies and do not know how to adapt, which further exacerbates the conflict.
Finally, the dissatisfaction erupted like a volcano that had been accumulating for a long time.
They gathered together to cause trouble, shouting slogans of resistance, attacked the simple government office set up locally, injured several officials, and stole property from the government treasury.
"These barbarians, I have given them a stable life, yet they are still not satisfied!"
Li Zhi was furious and slammed the memorial on the table. The loud noise echoed in the empty hall.
He stood up and paced back and forth in the hall.
His experience in governing the country in recent years helped him calm down quickly. Decisions made on impulse often bring greater hidden dangers.
He sat back in the Tai Shi seat, holding the armrests with both hands, fell into deep thought, and began to seriously think about how to deal with the situation.
If troops were sent to suppress the rebellion, the powerful Tang army would certainly be able to quickly quell the rebellion and force the troublemaking indigenous people to submit.
But Li Zhi understood that suppressing the rebellion by force would only bring temporary peace, but would cause panic and resentment among the local people.
Once the people's hearts are lost, it will be difficult to rule this land in the future, and rebellion may spring up again like weeds in the spring breeze.
Moreover, the territory of the Tang Dynasty is vast, and its military forces are scattered across the vast land. Mobilizing large troops from other places will not only consume a lot of time and energy, but will also cause huge material consumption, bringing a heavy burden to the national finances.
Just when Li Zhi was frowning, he suddenly thought of the Tang auxiliary army.
These armies, composed of local barbarians, are familiar with the local customs and habits. If they are allowed to handle this matter, it will show the Tang Dynasty's trust in them and make them feel that they are part of the Tang Empire, thereby enhancing their sense of belonging.
Secondly, it can also reduce the consumption of the Tang Dynasty's local army, which is a best of both worlds solution.
Thinking of this, a gleam of light flashed in Li Zhi's eyes. He immediately issued an edict, ordering the nearby Tang Xie army to quickly go and quell the rebellion. At the same time, he asked local officials to review the tax policy and try their best to reduce the burden on the people while ensuring the court's income, and to achieve a balance between leniency and strictness.
After dealing with this matter, Li Zhi became more determined to utilize the power of the barbarians.
The Tang Dynasty wanted to further expand its territory, consolidate its rule, and make rational use of these forces, which was the general trend.
But he also understood that these barbarians were outsiders after all. Without a complete system to restrain and manage them, they would be like wild horses that had broken free from their reins and could get out of control at any time.
So he immediately summoned several important officials in the court to discuss the matter in the Taiji Hall.
The atmosphere in the court was tense and solemn. The ministers sat in two rows, their expressions varied. Li Zhi sat upright on the dragon throne, his gaze sweeping across the crowd. He spoke slowly, "I have summoned you all here today to discuss how to better utilize the power of the barbarians and consolidate the rule of the Tang Dynasty."
"Although we have already made a preliminary decision on the Middle East rebellion, I still need your input on the long-term plan."
Li Yifu frowned and stepped out first, cupping his hands and saying, "Your Majesty, these barbarians are outsiders after all."
"They have different customs and beliefs from the people of the Tang Dynasty. If we give them too much power, it might endanger the foundation of the Tang Dynasty."
"Your Majesty, you must heed the lesson of the Five Barbarians' invasion of China! If they grow too powerful, the consequences will be disastrous!"
His words were full of caution.
Pei Yan also stepped forward and nodded in agreement, "Minister Li is absolutely right."
"Although the Tang Dynasty is now strong and powerful, with a strong army and strong horses, we must always be on guard against others."
"We should be on guard against these barbarians and not trust them too much."
"The Tang Xie Army should also be strictly controlled to limit their development."
The views of the two were recognized by many ministers, and for a moment, there was a murmur of approval.
Not all ministers share the same opinion.
After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Jianzhi stepped out of the ranks and said aloud, "Your Majesty, the territory of the Tang Dynasty is constantly expanding, and we are faced with the difficult problem of land development and management."
"If we can properly utilize the power of these barbarians and make them serve the Tang Dynasty, perhaps we can solve our urgent problem."
"Moreover, we can formulate strict systems to restrain and manage them. As long as they are properly controlled, there may not be any major problems."
"Using the system as a rein and using kindness and power as a means, we will surely make them serve the Tang Dynasty."
His words, like a stream of fresh air, triggered new thinking in the court.
The ministers expressed their opinions and argued endlessly. For a while, there were many different opinions in the court and no consensus.
Li Zhi listened quietly to the arguments of his ministers, constantly weighing the pros and cons in his mind.
This is an important decision concerning the future development of the Tang Dynasty. If we are not careful, it may bring disaster to the country. We must be extremely cautious.
After a heated discussion, under the guidance of Li Zhi, the ministers finally reached a preliminary consensus.
The power of barbarians can be utilized to a limited extent, but a strict management system must be established.
For the Tang Xie Army, regular assessments and training should be conducted to improve their combat effectiveness.
Strengthen their ideological education, cultivate their loyalty to the Tang Dynasty, and let them identify themselves as a member of the Tang Dynasty from the bottom of their hearts.
At the same time, special institutions were set up in the newly developed land to manage the barbarians, supervise their production and life, and ensure the smooth implementation of various policies.
Li Zhi approved of the plan and immediately issued an order to implement it.
In the newly opened land, the Tang Dynasty began to recruit barbarians on a large scale.
The imperial court promised to provide them with a certain amount of land and means of production, allowing them to reclaim wasteland and build cities.
After the news spread, many barbarian people responded.
For them, this is an opportunity to change their lives. Being able to own their own land and live a stable life is much better than wandering around.
At the same time, the imperial court sent a group of experienced officials from the Tang Dynasty to serve in these areas to strengthen local management.
These officials shouldered important missions. They not only had to ensure that the court's policies were implemented, but also had to coordinate relations with the barbarian people and resolve contradictions and conflicts.
The imperial court invested a lot of energy in the Tang Xie Army, increasing the intensity and frequency of training, selecting outstanding generals from the Tang army to serve as instructors, and teaching them advanced tactics and combat skills.
A reward system was also established to provide generous rewards and promotion opportunities for soldiers and generals with outstanding performance.
Gold, silver, treasures, fertile fields and beautiful houses, as well as glorious official positions, all became the driving force to inspire the soldiers of the Tang Xie Army to move forward bravely.
In order to strengthen ideological control over the Tang Xie Army, the imperial court also established special cultural and educational institutions in the army.
Here, the recitation of Confucian classics and the narration of Tang Dynasty history can be heard day after day.
The instructors spread the culture and values of the Tang Dynasty to the soldiers of the Tang Auxiliary Army, teaching them loyalty to the emperor, patriotism, propriety, righteousness, integrity and shame.
It is hoped that through cultural influence, they can truly integrate into the Tang Dynasty and become loyal defenders of the empire's borders.
In this process, difficulties and resistance are always there.
Some barbarians were not used to the Tang Dynasty's management system. They were used to a free and easy life and were not used to the Tang Dynasty's strict household registration system.
The tax system and various laws and regulations were confusing. Conflicts and contradictions often occurred. Some people refused to pay taxes, and some even had fierce disputes with the government. The situation was once in chaos.
Some people in Tang Xie's army also began to waver in their loyalty to the Tang Dynasty.
Although they enjoyed the generous treatment given by the Tang Dynasty, they still had deep feelings for their homeland and tribe in their hearts.
When seeing their compatriots suffering due to conflicts with the Tang Dynasty government, they inevitably felt dissatisfied and resistant.
Some generals even secretly instigated soldiers in an attempt to break away from the control of the Tang Dynasty.
Faced with these problems, Li Zhi did not give up. He constantly adjusted his policies and sent eloquent envoys to appease the barbarians and patiently explain to them the original intentions and benefits of the Tang Dynasty's policies.
In response to the unstable factors that emerged in Tang Xie's army, the imperial court adopted a combination of kindness and severity.
On the one hand, more rewards and trust were given to loyal and reliable generals and soldiers; on the other hand, those who instigated rebellion were severely punished to serve as a warning to others.
In addition, after careful consideration, Li Zhi decided to set up eight protectorates in the Middle East and dispatch troops to garrison them.
Each protectorate was named after a different direction: East, West, South, North, Southeast, Southwest, Northeast, and Northwest, forming a tight defense system and temporarily controlling this vast land.
The establishment of the Protectorate not only strengthened the Tang Dynasty's military control over the Middle East, but also provided guarantees for local stability and development.